Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Child benefit is a monthly payment made to families with children up to the age of 16 years. The payment continues to be paid in respect of children until their 19th birthday where they are in full-time education or have a disability. The extension of child benefit to 18-year-olds was one of my key priorities in budget 2024 and I am very pleased that we were able to bring that change in from May this year.

Child benefit is paid at €140 per month. Twins are paid at one and a half times the standard monthly rate for each child, that is, €210 per month for each twin. All other multiple births are paid at double the standard monthly rate for each child, that is, €280 per child. In budgets 2023 and 2024, I provided for a double month of child benefit to be paid in respect of each child. Families received these additional payments in December 2022 and December 2023. These additional payments followed a €100 lump sum, which was paid to parents in respect of each child in June 2023 as part of the package of measures provided for in spring 2023 to assist families with the cost of living. Child benefit is currently paid to approximately 677,000 families in respect of approximately 1.2 million children, with an estimated expenditure of €2.2 billion for 2024.

In addition to child benefit, families on low incomes may be able to avail of the increase for a qualified child with primary social welfare payments; the working family payment for low-paid employees with children; and the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance. These schemes provide targeted assistance that is directly linked to household income and thereby support low-income families with children. Child benefit is kept under review in the context of the annual budget. I trust this brings some light to the matter.

See this speech in context